Human Features
The GLP tackles innovations in human genetics and biotechnology. We highlight the work of our own writers, as well as that of contributors from around the Web. The GLP does not take a position on genetics-related issues; any opinions expressed belong to the authors.
Categories include:
- CRISPR and gene editing
- Gene therapy
- Stem cell research
- Genetic diseases
- Synthetic biology
- Epigenetics
- Biodrugs (pharmacogenetics)
- Personal genomics
- Ancestry and evolution
- Ethics and regulations
‘Abortion pills’: What will be the fate of emergency contraception if Roe v. Wade is overturned?
A brand of specialty mozzarella cheeses. A collection of natural-gas storage terminals. And America’s top-selling emergency contraception. At a moment ...
When does an embryo become viable? Artificial uterus in development may dramatically lower the number of weeks
With New York state easing some restrictions on late-term abortions and Virginia lawmakers proposing to do the same, the abortion debate ...
Why this is no time to ease up on efforts to contain COVID-19
Many of us in the medical community feel as though we’re having one of those dreams in which we’re shouting ...
‘Hybrid of Satan’: PolitiFact debunks vaccine rejectionist film ‘Watch the Water’ claiming COVID vaccine is snake venom
A new anti-vaccine documentary ridiculously claims that the coronavirus is not a virus, but a synthetic version of snake venom that ...
Organ transplants from animal donors could be a godsend for many — but they may also provide a breeding ground for novel diseases
Three out of four new diseases are zoonotic, meaning they have evolved to infect new host species. For example, a ...
GLP Podcast: Will we ever solve the obesity crisis? Science writer Mark Schatzker
Americans are getting heavier and experts aren't sure what to do about it. Cutting fat and carbs out of our ...
‘Unnatural selection’: How humans are altering the evolution of other animals
The bouncing orange specks could be popcorn dancing on a hot plate. But there's something odd about how they move ...
Who is your real parent? Our Father on Netflix depicts the dark side of ‘secret serial sperm donation’. My birth has a similar origin but with a more hopeful twist
"Our Father" is difficult to watch, especially if you’ve suddenly discovered as an adult that you have a never-known family ...
GLP Podcast: Once-a-month shot controls opioid addiction; Food waste as energy; Obesity drugs are here
A drug given once monthly as an injection could drastically reduce opioid use in the US. Why is it so ...
Viewpoint: From energy to agriculture, the mainstream environmentalism movement has become anti-technology
For some reason, an increasing number of writers seem surprised to discover that environmentalists are anti-technology. [Recently,] Josh Barro excoriated “coalitions ...
PEW and transhumanism: Public has mixed concerns about arriving era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and human enhancement
Americans regard advances in artificial intelligence and human enhancement technologies with a degree of caution and uncertainty. A new Pew Research ...
Why are there tuskless elephants? Blame ivory hunting
For hundreds of years, people in Africa and Asia have traded in ivory. The material is taken from the tusks ...
GLP Podcast: ‘Toxic 10’ chemicals in food; Gene editing treats heart disease? Dog-breed myths debunked
There's a "toxic 10" group of chemicals lurking in every single food you consume. Listen in to find out what ...
I write about the history of genetics. Buffalo racially-motivated massacre refocuses attention on the dark side of the 100-year old eugenics movement
Whenever I work on a new edition of my human genetics textbook and reach the section on eugenics, which flourished ...
We have no idea what lies ahead with COVID
Recently on the local news, New York governor Kathy Hochul confidently proclaimed that we would not experience another COVID surge ...
Once-a-month injection to control opioid addiction? Buprenorphine has shown enormous promise
Dr. Andrew Herring has a clear goal walking into every appointment with patients seeking medication to treat an opioid use ...
GLP Podcast: GMO grapes coming soon? Golden Rice is here; FDA’s dubious animal gene-editing rules
GMO grapes exist, so why can't we buy them? Farmers in the Philippines have access to disease-fighting Golden Rice after ...
Omicron has birthed a slew of COVID subvariants. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe
Two years into the coronavirus pandemic, Americans can be forgiven if they've lost track of the latest variants circulating nationally ...
Alternative and natural medicine quackery is on the rise. Here’s why the placebo effect is part of the problem
For several decades now, many scientists, including me, have been working hard to reveal the full power and scope of ...
The world wastes billions of tons of food each year. Here’s how we can transform it into clean energy
Food waste is a growing problem in Canada and many other parts of the world — and it is only ...
GLP Podcast: Plant-based meat ain’t so ‘green’? Science of fasting; ‘Monoculture’ myths debunked
Plant-based and cell-based meats have been sold as sustainable alternatives to animal products, but are they really as good as ...
Prudent predators: Can humans mimic animal evolution to avoid over-exploiting our natural resources?
People have been trying to understand how predators and prey are able to stay balanced within our planet’s ecosystems for ...
Roma ‘gypsy’ people of Europe have long held a fascination for geneticists. Here’s why
The Roma people have long held a special fascination for population geneticists who study the frequencies of genetic diseases. The ...
Viewpoint: Anti-vaccine backlash is not going away — and its long term consequences are grim
As of January 25, 2022, some 40% of Americans [1] have not been fully vaccinated. [2] This, notwithstanding valiant efforts ...
Viewpoint: Africans need to be part of the conversation in determining the future of artificial intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence (AI) was once the stuff of science fiction. But it’s becoming widespread. It is used in mobile phone ...
GLP Podcast: Vaccine denier vs skeptic; Food changes DNA? Biotech will help solve next health crisis
Treating vaccine-hesitant individuals like they are hardcore vaccine "deniers" could backfire as a science-outreach strategy. Can the food you eat ...
Human life span may have few limits, analysis of supercentenarians suggests
In 1875, Harper’s Weekly declared one Lomer Griffin of Lodi, Ohio, to be, “in all probability,” the oldest man in the ...
